Chapter Thirteen
A nthony contemplated Lissa’s behavior from the warmth of the tub, which she’d had moved before the fire. She’d been out of sorts since he came back to the tent, both he and Delilah soaked to the skin.
Lissa’s actions reminded him of the first time he’d come to the farmhouse in the devastated countryside of France. She’d held a pistol on him as he attempted to find out if the captain was there. If her grandmother had not come to the door to see who had arrived, he probably would have never discovered Lord Blackmore still lived. Only now, Lissa acted as if he were the one inside the house and anyone else was the enemy.
She’d ordered the hot bath and had the servants move the tub. Then she’d told the valet to return in an hour and had personally stripped Anthony of all his clothes. That she hadn’t made a single inappropriate comment, or touched him except to peel his wet clothes from his body, concerned him, almost as much as her cutting her own wet clothes from her body before donning the dressing gown she now wore.
After dunking his head he lifted the soap to wash his hair, but she grabbed it from his hand.
“I’ll do that. Lean your head back.”
At her commanding tone, he did as she wished, the soapy water covering his nakedness for the most part. “Liss, what’s wrong?”
Her hand moved the soap through his wet hair then began to massage his scalp. “Nothing’s wrong.”
Now that was a lie. “I thought we didn’t lie to each other.”
She pushed his head forward. “Dunk.”
He waited, and when she didn’t say anything else, he did as she asked. When he lifted his head again, he found her pouring a kettle of boiling water into a half-filled bucket of cold. “You don’t have to serve me. The valet can do that.”
Instead of answering, she strode toward him.
He barely had time to close his eyes before she dumped the bucket of warm water over his head. He wiped his eyes then turned to speak to her, but she was across the room at the armoire. It was not like her to avoid him. It wasn’t like her to avoid anything . “Lissa, come here.”
She turned quickly. “Has the bath grown cold? Let me get the towel.”
He shook his head, not that she saw, since she’d already moved to lift the towel from the bed.
When she approached, he sensed that she would retreat once again, so instead of talking, he rose from the water.
Her gaze flowed over his body like the water as if she touched him, which sent his body into a sexual alert. As she stepped closer, she lifted the towel. He stepped from the tub and, instead of grabbing the towel, grabbed her to him.
Surprisingly, she didn’t fight him, but wrapped the towel around him.
“Lissa, you’ve never been afraid to tell me what’s on your mind. Why are you afraid now?”
She stopped rubbing his back, but didn’t look at him. “I’m not afraid. I’m just angry.”
Yes, she was angry, but there was more to it. “What are you angry about?”
She squirmed to be released, and he let her go, but the towel went with her and she didn’t move far. Her gaze once again moved over him, but this time it was as if she were making sure all his limbs were still present.
He needed to try another tack. Holding his arms out, he cocked his head. “Am I acceptable?”
Her gaze flew to his and color came into her cheeks.
That shocked him, as he’d never seen her embarrassed. Something was definitely wrong.
She threw the towel at him and turned around. “How am I to know if you’re acceptable? First, you’re a soldier, and now you’re a peer. I certainly don’t know. What would I know about what is acceptable?”
He scooped up the towel and wrapped it around his hips before striding to stand in front of her. “I’m your friend, or I thought I was.”
She searched his face as if looking for something. “ Oui. Mon ami from France. The only one who knows my past.” Her forehead puckered. “I did not like that you were so cold. I do not want you to die.”
By the way she said it, he could tell she’d never thought of his dying before. He found that remarkable, as their escapades in France had put them in danger more times than not. Why was it an issue now?
She crossed her arms over her chest. “You were as cold as my grandfather’s corpse. I don’t know how you can still be alive.”
A clue. “Your grandfather? I didn’t know you knew your grandfather.”
Her shoulders relaxed and a soft smile played upon her lips as she looked toward the window. “Grand-pére let me go everywhere with him. He defended me from my parents and taught me so much.” Her smile disappeared. “One day, when I was but seven, he made me stay home, saying he had an important errand and I could not come. I was heartbroken. I wailed after he left and would not listen to anyone. I watched for him at the road, but as night fell and he didn’t return, my father made me go inside.”
His stomach tensed at what he was sure would come.
“The next day, my family grew worried and we started to search. We took the road and searched through the woods.” Her gaze met his. “I found him. He was lying on the ground, his back to me, and I thought him asleep. I ran to him and hugged him.” Even as she spoke, she shivered. “I hugged him, but he was so cold. I didn’t understand. I shook him and he rolled over.”
As if she were living the horror over again, her eyes widened and her mouth opened, but no sound emerged.
Anthony couldn’t stay back any longer, and he pulled her stiff form to him. “You don’t need to tell me.”
“The blood. It was everywhere. They killed him.”
Despite his hold, she remained stiff, no tears, no softening. He wanted to protect her from her memories, but he couldn’t. It was frustrating. He could only protect her now.
She finally looked up at him. “He’d gone to buy me a new dress, but they killed him for the money. All that time I watched for him. But he was already dead from a dagger wound to his heart.”
His own heart rolled over as emotion swept through him. She’d gone through so much, more than even he had known, and still remained strong, defiant, and so courageous. He didn’t want her to ever have to be strong again. What he wanted was to be strong for her, protect her from any future threats or heartaches. Even as he cupped her head in his hands, he understood the feeling inside his chest. It was love, pure and simple. “Lissa.”
Lowering his lips to hers, he kissed her tenderly, unable to say the words he felt, knowing she wouldn’t understand, but willing to show her.
At first, she remained unmoving, but as if his touch were a flame to candle wax, her body melted, softening against his own, her lips moving beneath his. When she reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck, he dropped his hands to hold her and nudged her mouth open to enjoy her taste.
She deepened the kiss, tangling her tongue with his and pressing her soft curves to his hardness.
He couldn’t deny the need in his heart nor the desire coursing through him. Unable to resist, he lifted her up and took two strides to gently deposit her on the bed.
At the break in their kiss, she frowned. “Come back.”
He lay down next to her and leaned over her to cup her head with his hand. “I want you, Lissa.”
She smiled slyly and lifted her arms above her head, revealing the bare skin between her breasts. “Finally.”
He chuckled. He couldn’t help it. The happiness inside him was fairly bursting. As she bent her knee to touch his hardening erection through the towel, his focus changed. Lowering his head, he took her mouth with his once again. He wanted to know every inch of her, love every hill and valley. Even as his tongue touched hers, he moved his hand between them to untie the belt at her waist. As it loosened, he pulled back and spread the dressing gown to reveal her pert breasts, taut nipples, and slender waist.
To have her bare before him with no danger of interruption caused his excitement to grow. Lowering his head, he took one hard peak into his mouth and savored.
Her hand at the back of his head held him to her, not simply giving him permission, but demanding his attention. He sucked lightly before gently rolling her nipple between his teeth.
Her back arched and her hand left his neck and ran over his back, while the other grasped his arse. Sensation shot through his balls and made him harder. He didn’t want to love her quickly. He wished to enjoy every moment, so he moved lower, beyond her grasp, and paid heavy attention to her other breast.
Her soft moans encouraged him as he tasted his fill, nipping and sucking to his heart’s content, and hers. Yet he wanted even more. Much more. He shifted his weight to the leg between hers and moved his other there as well. As he lifted, she grabbed at the towel, pulling it from beneath him and leaving him to feel her soft skin touch his.
“ Je te veux .”
He looked up to see her watching him. “And you shall have me. I promise.”
Seeming to accept that, she closed her eyes and smiled. “ Oui . A bon promise.”
He lowered his head to kiss the ribs beneath her breasts. Slowly, he made his way down her stomach to the dark curls at the juncture of her thighs, dropping kisses as he breathed in her apple scent and the muskiness of her readiness. The combination reflected who she was, complicated yet simple, beautiful yet strong.
He wanted to see her in ecstasy before making her his. He wanted to bring such a remarkable woman to the apex of life. Softly, he ran two fingers through her curls, barely touching what lay hidden beneath.
She moaned, bending her knees and raising her pelvis. “ S’il vous plait .”
There was no possibility of his resisting such a plea, nor did he want to. He laid one hand on her thigh and lowered his head to grant her wish. He found her hard nub and licked upward then sideways and around it, listening to her loud breaths with each pass. He repeated the movements again and again, then pressed closer to suck on the tiny pinnacle, wanting to give her this ultimate experience.
She grabbed his shoulders as her hips rose, her pants harsh now as she reached for her release.
He stroked upward on her thigh before sliding his fingers along her moist folds to her entrance. Slowly, he pushed one inside her even as he released her nub and licked it. She was warm and tight and so close to her fulfillment.
Lissa squeezed his shoulders harder, soft cries coming from deep in her throat.
Those soft, yearning sounds urged him on to give his woman more pleasure.
His woman. Even as the words settled into his soul, he understood he could never let her go.
Tamping down his own need to make her his, he withdrew his finger before pushing two slowly inside her.
“ Oui. Oui .” Her words were barely discernible between her breaths.
Pressing his mouth to her once more, he sucked gently as he moved his fingers, deepening his suction with every thrust.
Her cries grew louder until she tightened around his fingers and a scream filled the room.
He looked up to see her come apart for him. Her lithe body arched and strained while he continued moving his fingers within her, watching her until she let go of his shoulders and forcefully lifted his head.
Happiness settled over him like a warm blanket. He grinned, knowing well that her body was over sensitized from his skills. Waiting, he remained still, content where he was until her breathing slowed and her body grew limp. Then, without warning, he licked at her release.
“Oh.” Her head came off the pillow as she looked at him wide-eyed.
He crawled up her body until he covered her. His hard erection pressed against one of her thighs as he kept himself leveraged on his elbows. “Did you enjoy?”
She nodded, gazing at him as if she didn’t know him. “I didn’t know you were such a lover. If I had, I would have not let you stay clothed for so long.”
He chuckled, happy to have pleased her. “Does that mean you will keep me in this room naked for the remainder of our stay?”
Her gaze left his face as if she were thinking seriously about his question. Then a mischievous light came into her eyes as she looked askance at him. “Maybe not just in this room?”
“You would have me parade about below for all those women to see?”
Her brows lowered fast. “ Non . They may not see or touch. Tu es a moi! ”
He was hers? His heart gave a jolt of elation, but he tamped it down. The words meant far more to him than he was sure she meant them to be. He had no illusions about her feelings for him. He was a good friend and nothing more. But she was more to him now, and he planned to show her. “Then I will make you mine as well.”
*
Lissa sucked in her breath at the look in Anthony’s eyes as he said those words. Pure possession filled his gaze, something she hadn’t seen in him before, and it sent a thrill into her core as strong as if he’d touched her. As he moved back to kneel between her legs, that same gaze swept across her body, causing tingles to race over her skin. For the first time, the thought of being his mistress in truth filled her head, and with it came a feeling of excitement.
“You are truly beautiful.”
She frowned, well aware that her breasts were small, even if slightly bigger since leaving France, and her hips were narrow, not voluptuous like those of the other ladies present. She didn’t care that she looked as she did, but she was hardly beautiful. “ Mon ami , we swore to never lie to each other.”
“I do not lie. I know what I see.”
His tone, so hard and forceful, surprised her. Maybe he needed spectacles. She was well aware he couldn’t hit a bull’s-eye with a dagger, though he came close. If he saw her as beautiful, she wouldn’t argue. “Then I accept your assessment.”
“As you should.”
Usually, she would take umbrage with anyone who spoke so to her, but his gaze reflected his true appreciation of her form, and for the first time, she felt beautiful. Raising her arms, she smiled softly. “Come. Take me. Make me yours as you promised.”
His face changed—a look came into his blue eyes that she hadn’t seen before—but as he lowered himself over her, her attention moved to his body. It was warm and hard, everywhere, making her feel truly delicate. Yet his hand as he brushed her hair away from her forehead was gentle and almost reverent. It reminded her of something, but before she could make the connection, his lips found hers in the gentlest of kisses.
She sighed, unable to help herself. There was something special that such a strong man could be so gentle. She did not need gentle, but she did like it on occasion, and this was definitely the occasion. Wrapping her arms around him, she kissed him back, enjoying the softness of his firm lips and the expansion of his chest as he breathed deeply.
He lifted his head and looked directly into her eyes. “I’m going to love you now.”
Her heart hitched at his words, though she was quite sure he meant he would love her body. She had no time to question him as he lifted his hips and probed her entrance. Without thought, she widened her legs, bringing her knees up to welcome him. Her feelings were jumbled, but her body knew what it wanted. It wanted Anthony.
His entrance into her took all coherent thought away as he spread her, moving slowly inside until he could go no farther. If his goal was to make her his, he definitely did. There was so much of him that she felt as if she couldn’t move. It was an unusual feeling, but it sensitized every inch of her body, even to the point that the hair from his chest against her nipples sent ripples of exhilaration to her very center.
She’d never been so sensitized after experiencing la petite mort . Yet here she was, on the verge of release, and he’d only just entered her.
He lifted his head, moving his chest from hers just a bit. “Am I too much?”
Her heart melted, and she lifted her hand to his cheek. “ Non . Just right.”
As if he’d been prepared for a different answer, his hips relaxed into her, moving him just a bit deeper and causing a thrill that shocked her.
“I’m relieved. You feel so good that I don’t want to move, but I also want to.”
She understood exactly what he meant. So she lifted her head, which caused her sheath to contract about him. She whispered softly, “Move.”
His body stiffened all around her, and she lowered her gaze to see his face taut with need. Then he moved, and what a glorious move it was. He pulled out to his tip then slowly came back into her.
Her body lit like the sky in a lightning storm. His controlled movements heightened her pleasure just a bit at a time until she wasn’t sure she could take any more. She grabbed on to him, silently reaching for her peak, wanting him there with her. On his next stroke, he pulled back only to rush forward, rocking her body and sending her into the heavens.
She screamed as light seemed to burst through her like a sun. Another thrust and he found his own release inside her, which made the sun bigger, hotter, expanding her pleasure until it was beyond her, in her, around her, heating her until she burst into a million shards of ecstasy.
And there it was again, but so much bigger, so much stronger, la petite mort . She floated, not sure which way was up or down, but not caring as Anthony’s arms wrapped around her, holding her tight to him, keeping her safe as he always did.
She held him against her heart, feeling tears at the edges of her eyes with no idea why except that she was happy, blissful. Never had she felt so satisfied and content. The thought had her searching her memories, but as much as she sought another time, there was none like this.
“Lissa?”
“Hmm.” She couldn’t seem to get her mouth to form any words yet. Her whole body felt as if she’d melted like ice in the spring.
His chuckle reverberated through her, sending off tiny sparks of delight.
“ Non . Don’t move,” she managed.
“Well, we will have to eventually.”
She meant to shake her head, but had no strength to do so. “Not yet.”
He didn’t respond for a long time, and she found herself drifting into sleep.
“You’re mine now.” His whispered words echoed in her head, forcing her to pay attention.
“ Oui . And you’re mine.” And he was, at least for their stay. And then? Her contentment vanished. He’d promised to find her a husband, but she no longer wanted one. Could she possibly convince him to keep her as his mistress?
Even as the possibility presented itself, she knew it couldn’t be. What would the duchess think, not to mention the men for whom Anthony worked? He may not need the money, as she had thought, but he needed the adventure.
That meant they only had the weekend before she would lose him. At that thought, she turned her head and licked at his ear.
“So you are awake.” His voice was filled with good humor.
“I am. I’m simply enjoying—”
A knock at the door interrupted her.
Anthony lifted himself onto his elbows. “It must be the valet.”
She’d forgotten they’d told him to come back. “Just send him away again.”
“I would very much like to.” He sighed. “I would like nothing more than to stay in here with you for the afternoon.”
She winked. “That’s sounds interesting. After all, we have yet to use these manacles.” She reached above her head and to the left, where one was tucked beneath the pillow, and pulled it out.
Anthony’s nostrils flared at the sight, and she was quite sure she would receive her wish.
But the man was far stronger than she, and he shook his head. “Not now. Maybe tonight. We must make use of this time when Leighhall allows us to explore his house for places to enjoy each other. If you like, we could do that once we find the second entry to the weapons room.”
Another knock sounded. “My lord.”
Anthony looked at her with longing then pulled out of her. “One moment.”
She felt lost at his exit, completely uncomfortable with such a feeling. As he rose from the bed, she covered herself. Irrationally, she felt irritated that he would leave her even knowing their investigation was critical to her dear friend’s future.
As he walked across the room to the door, she found herself watching him, or rather his taut arse. She remained in bed as the valet entered and dressed Anthony, slowly reasoning herself out of her pique. Or maybe it was watching Anthony getting dressed that had her mood improving.
Once he was dressed, the valet headed for the door.
“Wait.” Anthony moved across the room to her pile of wet clothing.
Tired of waiting for the valet, she’d cut her dress to get out of it, not wanting to waste a minute so she could get Anthony divested of his own clothes and into the hot tub and warmed up.
Anthony handed the valet the clothes. “You may dispose of these.”
The valet looked aghast that he must touch her clothes, but did as told and left.
She chuckled, enjoying the fact the valet was scandalized. “I do believe he will be sick.”
Anthony turned around and faced her. “I hope that’s the case.”
That his motivation had been for her had her laughing. “Well done, Lord Baron.”
He bowed. “Thank you, mademoiselle.” His brows drew together. “I do hope you have something else to wear for our afternoon stroll.”
“Indeed, I do.” Without warning, she threw back the covers and languidly rose from the bed completely naked.
Anthony’s eyes darkened, but he did not move.
Though she shouldn’t, she still enjoyed walking to the armoire and taking her time deciding on a dress, though she only had enough for the weekend. She chose her green dinner dress that she had planned for the following evening because by then there would be no need to worry about what the guests thought of her for wearing it twice, as it would be their final night.
Turning to her trunk, she pulled out dry stockings then walked over to the settee where she’d left her stays. Lifting them from the back, she found them still damp. She refused to dampen another dress. She looked to Anthony, who she’d expected would have turned his back, but he hadn’t. Instead, his gaze seemed to devour her from where he stood.
She sucked in her breath before finally shaking her head. “I will have to forgo the stays this afternoon. They are still damp.”
He didn’t say a word, but his nostrils flared.
Now knowing that he watched her, she found every movement she made, from pulling up her stockings and tying them to slipping into her kid shoes, aroused her. Even twisting her hair into a loose knot once more had her nipples hardening. Lastly, she added a dagger on her thigh. The dress had short sleeves, so she’d wear gloves to hide another weapon. Finally, she lifted her dress and brought it to him.
He took it, and as she lifted her arms, he settled the dress over her, smoothing it down the front over her breasts and then walking around her to pull it tight. Once it was secure in the back, she made to step away to add her other daggers, but he stopped her, instead taking her hand to bring her in front of the mirror.
Curious, she looked at him as he stood behind her. “Do you wish me to see something?”
“Yes. Look at you.”
She did as he requested. Her gown hugged her waist and covered her breasts nicely without the stays to push them up to the scooped neckline.
He wrapped his arms around her. “You are beautiful.”
Her chest tightened at his persistence, and she gave him a soft smile. Then she turned in his arms and kissed him, letting him know how happy he made her. She broke the kiss before they forgot what they were about and stepped back. “I just need my last daggers and I’ll be ready.”
Without the stays, she could only slip one in her hidden pocket and one in her glove. She held up a silk choker and gave it to him. “Please.”
He tied it loosely, just as she liked it, then held out his arm. “Shall we explore, mademoiselle?”
“To find the perfect place for an assignation? Yes.”
He chuckled as he led her from the room, little knowing that she meant exactly what she’d said.